“I’ve been stretching everyday for months, but my muscles still feel just as tight.” I hear this frequently from clients and friends. And you know what my response is? If you’ve been stretching regularly and not getting the results you want, it’s time to change your strategy. I’m not saying that stretching isn’t valuable, I’m saying if something isn’t creating …

Did you know that Bozeman has over 80 miles of maintained trails in and around town? With so many options, it’s hard to pick a favorite, but I’ve narrowed it down to 5. This trailhead is close to town and the hike is about 2.5 miles. Perfect for before or after work or even on a long lunch break. This …

If you’re establishing a new habit or starting a new exercise program then it’s pretty likely that you’ll eventually run into a motivational low point. A point where you just feel like giving up, like it really doesn’t matter if you continue. You can get into a slump and even thinking about making positive changes seems difficult. But it’s not …

I’m guessing you’ve heard someone say they have back pain because they “slipped a disc” or maybe even that they’re getting treatment “to put the disc back in.” How about these – “I’ve had back pain ever since I slipped a disc”, “Don’t bend over like that, you’ll slip a disc!”, “Don’t lift that, it’ll slip your disc!”, “I can’t do that I’ve got a slipped disc.” Sounds kind …

I was carrying a basket of laundry down the stairs, slipped, and landed hard on my right side. The pain was immediate, radiating from my mid-back down to my right knee. After determining I wasn’t critically injured, my first thought was “Shit…The race I’ve been training for all winter and spring is out the window.” Mind you I was still …

If you struggle to fall asleep, or have difficulty staying asleep, these tips may be just what you need. Go to bed and wake up at the same time everyday. Even on weekends, days off, or holidays. This helps establish and maintain your body’s sleep-wake cycle. A cool and completely dark bedroom is the most conducive environment for sleep. Cover …

Nearly 85% of people will experience back pain at some point in their life. There’s a lot of incorrect and outdated information floating around out there. This can lead to people managing their back pain inappropriately and suffering for longer than they need to. Here are five of the most common back pain myths, and their realities. Gone are …

Over my past 9 years as a physical therapist, I have seen significant (and frequent) changes in health insurance benefits. Premiums, co-pays, and co-insurance have continually increased while the coverage for medical treatments has continually decreased. The required paperwork from insurance companies increased significantly creating a burden for both the physical therapist and the patient. And then, the insurance …

Alpine ski boots are inherently rigid to allow you to transfer pressure from your foot and ankle to the ski. And, because of that rigidity, it can be a challenge to find a good balance between comfort and performance. The first step to creating that balance is finding a standout boot fitter. They will help you find the best boot …

In Part I of this series, I discussed why people are often surprised to know that physical therapists treat people for lots of different conditions, not just after an orthopedic surgery. Here’s a quote from a recent patient about what he thought physical therapy was for prior to coming to see me. This client was dealing with back pain …